Paramount and the Mutual Film Company have tapped Darren Aronofsky to develop and direct a live-action adaptation of Lone Wolf and Cub, the Kazuo Koike-created graphic novel collection, says Variety.

The story revolves around a disgraced 17th century samurai who travels around Japan as an assassin for hire as he tries to clear his family's name. His companion is his 3-year-old son, whose mother has been killed.

Koike's samurai tale is expected to be contemporized by Aronofsky and his Protozoa partner Eric Watson, who'll produce.

Originated in Japan, the series has been published in the U.S. by Dark Horse Comics. The 28-volume series has sold 15 million copies worldwide.

“Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” - Andy Warhol

Mac, I'm shocked! You report on both Richard Kelly and Arronofsky in the space of a few minutes, but fail to mention the recent announcenment that they're BOTH attached to the adaptation of Vonnegut's 'Cat's Cradle' (Kelly scripting, Arronofsky directing).

Of course, in the time that it's taken me to type this, you've probably already beaten me to it.

CAT'S CRADLE. Johnathon Bing over at Variety published a story about "Leonardo DiCaprio's production shingle, Appian Way" and some of Appian's current projects. The following is one of the films mentioned, which certainly warrants your interest:

"Cat's Cradle," an adaptation of the Kurt Vonnegut novel. Richard Kelly is writing and Darren Aronofsky is planning to direct.

That's it. Nothing else written on the project. Nada. Personally, if this news turns out to be true, I'm completely hyped. I personally think Vonnegut is a brilliant author and Donnie Darko (written and directed by Richard Kelly) is an amazing movie and one of my recent favorite flicks. Check back soon as more comes in on this story and hopefully we'll find out what it means for Aronofsky's Flicker.

“Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” - Andy Warhol

what a great trio... Vonnegut, Kelly, and Aaronofski? Probably too good to be true though.

That's the downside of our Web-access portentions of future screen projects... sometimes they come true, sometimes they don't. I'll be pretty disappointed if this one doesn't come true. It sounds like something of a dream-team situation.

""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Ummm...I just wanted something more "official" rather than an "Aronofsky Update" subject header. He is currently THE BEST NEW DIRECTOR OUT THERE (imo)... so hence this more "formal" subject header. BTW-rent/buy- Below- he co-wrote this and his presence is felt (cool little thriller)

oh yeah. i kind of wanted to see below and then completely forgot about it.

The corpses all hang headless and limp bodies with no surprises and the blood drains down like devil’s rain we’ll bathe tonight I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls Demon I am and face I peel to see your skin turned inside out, ’cause gotta have you on my wall gotta have you on my wall, ’cause I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls collect the heads of little girls and put ’em on my wall hack the heads off little girls and put ’em on my wall I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls

I really disagree with him being the "best new director out there," but he does show potential. Pi, though admirable in that he made it on a shoestring budget, was weak in story, in mathematics, in execution, and in ending. And there were way too many threads Aronofsky didn't follow, opting to go for the simple thriller route.

I blind bought the Pi DVD, thinking I'd love it because of its mathematical bent, and its buzz, and I just simply liked it. Nothing more. But I kept seeing things that could have made it better. To show you how forgettable it is, though, consider that I just made a thread about Blind Buy DVDs, and I totally forgot to mention Pi in my assessment.

Requiem for a Dream, however, is another story. It is probably one of the most important, riveting, wrenching films ever made, and the cinematography, editing, acting, and directing are all top-notch. This is the DVD I should have bought instead of Pi, and I will soon enough. It's just so hard to watch this movie multiple times because the ending is so dreary.

So yeah, Aronofsky is good, but he'll have to hit a homerun next time up, so to speak, to be considered a great new filmmaker.

ONOMATOPOEIA:You have made some good points(i.e. different directions/triller cop-out) but keep in mind it is a low budget film so that should give it some sort of immunity. With the low budget I still cannot believe how POWERFUL this film is! I love the nausiating/dizziness this film gives you it's a rollercoaster. The powerdrill scene is so damn crazy. YOu hear the sound of the drill, then see the sucker pointed at his head the after(effects) are wild man. The cinematography was nice(it's i different feel of black &white), the SOUND/EFFECTS are well done- acting's well...marginable, you' ll finish this film (IMO) that you watched some thing new, imaginative, special, and a hope that he will have a great sophmore effort-which he did and he well exceeded expectations(i know you mentioned your admiration for Requiem which both me and you see eye to eye)(or monitor to monitor) But nonetheless-with those two films I believe he is the most talented new comer. Also, I believe "The Fountain" is NOT completely drained and "Flicker" seems to be right up his alley.(I cannot rmember exact plot points of this film but when I first read it-it sound perfect for him). So there seems to be some hope that my opinion is correct-only time will tel.

I believe Aronofsky is excellent, and a quick question, what are some other movies he's done other than Pi and Requiem For A Dream, if anyone knows?

"As a matter of fact I only work with the feeling of something magical, something seemingly significant. And to keep it magical I don't want to know the story involved, I just want the hypnotic effect of it somehow seeming significant without knowing why." - Len Lye

Aronofsky's good but I wouldn't consider him great. He definitely shows a lot of promise and I'm hoping he will really grow as his experience increases. I loved both Pi and Requiem (own them both), but neither really holds up well to repeated viewings.

Requiem is very powerful but after viewing a few times it begins to fall apart at the seams. It's obvious to me that there were serious story or editing problems that had to be bandaged in post production. The disorienting style covers up many of them nicely but, when viewed enough that the shock value wears off, the seams begin to show.

Has anyone seen his earlier films Supermarket Sweep or Protozoa? What are they about?

Is Aronofsky still on for a Batman sequel? Or am I, like, way behind and that's just a really stupid question? Anyone heard anything?

""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

it doesnt look like it. WB is now looking to put the CHRISTOPHER NOLAN one into production as soon as it can. and since his will sort of re-invent the series as well as Aronofsky's Year One would have, they dont want to put both of these out. *sigh the best batman that never was.

ps. it wasnt going to be a sequel a la Batman 5 or something. they were starting over and going back to tell the origins of the character and his first year of crimefighting as batman (hence Batman: Year One).

Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.